what would you do with 10,000? - Page 2

[BaaBaa]

hey everybody
love seeing all the ideas, and thoughts. makes me think!

I have been traveling around the globe for almost 8 years. DH is from eastern europe, dd was born in central america. we live on very little, tralving since dd was born cost the three of us airfare plus about $500 per month to live, so i figure we could do a really nice trip on 10k, that would allow us to re-connect and really nurture ourselves and our family. but im not sure what would come AFTER that.....not that we would live on the street, just back to this same point again. We camped through my pregnancy until 8.5 months in nicaragua, panama, and costa rica, where life is cheap and the food is good I did insist on buying a second pillow at 8 months! right now- we save almost every penny we earn, which is where this savings is coming from. we are not so lucky to get a bonus or something- although i dream! we save about 75% of what DH makes.

DH can do his masters for free in denmark, or for 4k in another european local, but demaks cost of living is high, and we couldnt work there. the 4k program isnt "interesting" to dh. here in the USA we would have to take a loan (if we could get one...), and i feel like the one makor thing we have going for us is NO DEBT. my program would be coslty, and seeing as i want to have another baby and SAHM a little more- i guess thats out.

I figure we could move for about half that, we would like to go out west, we would just all pile in the car and go till we found "the place" i guess. seeing as we have no idea where "the place" might be, we would have to first look for it.

so where does that leave me? i guess back at the start? oh bother. right now we are doing the "just save it" thing. but for how long do you save in a place you dont like befor you spend

[~PurityLake~]

For you, I voted:

Go back to school your self to compleate you BA or become a Midwife

[springbride]

I voted 'other' at this point we would pay off our debts and invest $1000 and put the rest in a high interest something until we need it for DH's schooling.

[chirp]

i said invest, because what i would do with the money would add significantly to the value of my house. refinish the basement, gutters, sun porch and main bath.

[lilyka]

Save it. that is a very small sum of money.

I really do not see how your whole family can travel and live off $10000 for a year unless you are living in a really low budget sort of place. but again, what would you come home too. the job market is not great right now and it sounds loike your husband has a great job if you can save 75% of it.

No matter how you slice it or where ytou do it school will be expensive and $10000 does not sound like enough to get all the way through. and remember school is more than tuition.

so take a few hundred or even a thousand and go away and recharge for a week if you want. heck plan a little weekend get away once a month for six months.

put the rest in savings. your car is good now. thats great. My car was good one day and gone the next. It was good while it lasted, paid off, ran well. smoke, horror, death. now I have a $350 car payment out of nowhere. CRAP!!!! Maybe you have a lot in savings. do you have enough for a new car? to pay cash? if not keep saving.

your house is inexpensive. that is good. keep saving. watch for the right house while you keep saving. there are deals to be had right now.

your husbands job is temporary. that is bad. you may need this money to live off of!!! Do not waste it on frivolous stuff. put it in the bank.

I am getting a large tax refund (not quite $10,000 but close). Unfortunately I do have credit card debt but not much now (wooohoooooo) I spent $700 on a CSA (half my groceries for the next 27 weeks - a bargin), $225 on an inexpensive dining room table (because eating on the floor sucks), $500 on clothes and other neccesary items we just have fallen behind on and a couple little treats. the rest will go towards credit card debt, God willing leaving me less than $1000 to pay off (3 months of payments). After that I will start dumping every penny into savings and paying off my car. no vacations, moving, upgrades or anything until I am a little better set. There is so much I want to do to make this house more livable...but until I have cold hard cash and no debt I will just have to cope (except for the no table part.... because I am getting one of those. and chairs even )

There are couple of things in your post that indicated you need a good stash in an emergancy fund and you may need it sooner than later.

[treegardner]

I voted invest because I would use it towards a down payment on a house.